As noted previously, future reunion locations require a sponsor (someone who agrees to take responsibility for making the arrangements, finances for deposits and so forth will be paid by the Association). At the 2017 Reunion, two locations met this condition so we will have only this one round of voting for location.

We have included some basic information about each choice. When you vote, I'd like to ask that your vote reflects places where YOU would actually go. You might want to check currently available transportation from your location and remember both of these destinations lend themselves well to an extended vacation before or after (or both)! Choose carefully. It's going to be a hard choice to make. You can change your vote up until the poll closes.

If you'd like to "campaign" on behalf of one of these locations or have additional information that you'd like to share, please reply here to make that information known to others who will be voting.

VERY IMPORTANT: If you are a former Madison sailor and/or a member of Reunion Association and cannot login and have your vote counted, send an email to website@ussjamesmadison627.com NOW to make it so you can. Do not wait until the voting closes and then say "oh there was a problem". I am not set up to take votes by email or by posted messages here.
Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral FL

Rapid City, SD
Possible Tour - -Badlands National Park, Wall Drug and Ellsworth AFB tour of the Air & Space Museum.
(Arrive at Ellsworth AFB to tour the Air and Space Museum. Continue to world's largest drugstore, Wall Drug. Unique shopping. Take a scenic adventure through the Badlands National Park, were rain, wind and frost have carved steep canyons, sharp ridges, gullies and glimpse into the geologic change.)
Possible Tour-- Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial and Custer state park wildlife loop in the southern black Hills, home of buffalo, antelope, deer and prairie dogs roaming free.
Possible Tour-- Mt Rushmore Lighting Ceremony with time for viewing, and patriotic lighting ceremony.
Things to do on your own ---------
Tour the town by trolley fare for unlimited on/off per day is $2. per adult $1 for over 60, see Journey museum, Founders Park, Chapel in the hills Stavkirke chapel. Dahl art center. The trolley is a narrated tour.
Free admission at the museum of geology at SD school of Mines and tech. college.
Historic Deadwood SD gaming town home of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok.
Visit Hill City and ride the 1880 train, to Keystone makes a tour that starts and stops in Hill City with shopping and dinning available.
Rapid City has summer night every Thursday with free bands downtown and food stands to enjoy.
Fort Hays old west town and dinner show, tour the Dances with Wolves film set chuck wagon dinner show. free admission and parking you pay for the meal.
Yellowstone National Park is in 300 miles away for those who wish to make it a longer vacation.
There is also a land-based Minuteman Missile National Historic Site: http://www.nps.gov/mimi/index.htm
Rapid City Regional Airport:
Allegiant non stop service to/from Las Vegas, to /from Phoenix
American Airlines non stop service to/from Chicago, to/from Dallas/Ft. Worth
Delta non stop service to/from Salt Lake City, to /from Minneapolis/St Paul
United non stop service to/from Denver, to/from Chicago, to/from Houston
Rent A Car at the airport Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National/alamo
Hotels have free shuttle service, the airport has a shuttle service available.
Website of the Rapid CIty Tourism Bureau is at http://www.visitrapidcity.com/
Trip Advisor site for the Rapid City area is at https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g54 ... tions.html
An up-to-date listing of airlines servicing Rapid City SD Regional Airport can be found at: http://www.ifly.com/rapid-city-regional-airport

Specific costs are not available this far in advance and will be negotiated with the final choice. Information about specific airlines or businesses subject to change, of course.
Betty and I have had the privilege of visiting each of these areas and believe either of them can be a good site for our next reunion.

Why choose Cocoa Beach area? Cocoa beach area is unique in the variety of activities and experiences you can have while here. Experiences can be as relaxing as watching the sun rise on the beach to the action of the Kenndy Space Center.

Flying: There are 3 major airports
Orlando International Airport
Melbourne International Airport
Sanford Airport
Driving: Many major roads
I-95 (runs north and south throughout Florida on east coast)
I-75 (runs north and south on the west sign of the state)
Turn pike (runs north and south and east and west) From Gainesville to Miami
US 1 (runs north and south on east coast more traffic lights but goes through some smaller towns)
A1A (runs north and south on the east side following the coast)
I-4 (runs east west)
528 (runs east west between Orlando and Cocoa Beach area

Are there just these two choices? Would the active membership consider the old Naval Air Station
Roosevelt Roads (1-h r drive from San Juan) that was turned over to the local government in 2004. I remember my first shore leave from the Madison there while we we're participating in the annual ASW exercises. est imaged cost from Houston, Texas $458 airfare + $450 hotel for 4 nights. Check it out on Google "San Juan Puerto Rico". There is a lot to do and see in this historic old city. remember that it is still a US territory and very friendly to US tourists.

Yes, these were the only two choices put forward at the 2017 reunion with sponsors. See viewtopic.php?f=8&t=644
Someone must step up and agree to "sponsor" a location and be responsible for setting up a reunion there for a location to be eligible for voting. Your suggestion is appreciated. Perhaps you could see your way clear to organizing a 2021 reunion there?

After sending out all the reminders, after answering questions about how to vote, after watching the poll develop...guess who forgot to vote himself? Wouldn't have made a difference either way but sometimes I amaze myself!
So here we have it...Don and Veronica, its time to get to work.
Reunion 2019 will be in Rapid City, SD!